Silo.



F. B. POTTER..

s1Lo. APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 25, 1912.'

1,078,874. Patentemov. 18, 11913.

To all whom t may concern Be 1t known that I, F ono B. Porrnn, a

l citizen of the United States. residing at Tampico, in the count-y of il'vhiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Silos, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference .to silos, and

`pertains more specially to the manner of closing the vertical opening in the side of the silo, and means for retaining the sides of such opening in xed parallel relation. In devices of this class, in which the opening referred to is usually closed by a series of sectional doors, diiiieulty is frequently experienced in the removal of the doors on account of the same being swollen through the action of the contents of the silo, and held so tightly in place as to resist an ordinary amount of pressure. In my device thc construction of the door and mechanism for holding the same in place in the opening Ais of such a character as to preclude any possibility of the same becoming iixed immovably in position.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation, showing a small section of a silo, with one of the doors in position therein. Fig. 2 is a transverse section, in the line -w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the locking mechanism in disengaged position.

1 l represent portions of the silo and 2 2 the frame of the opening therein.

3 is one of the doors provided centrally with avbolt 4 on which is pivoted a bar 5, having off-set end portions 6 and 7. Pivoted to the bar 5 are arms 8 and 9, as at a and' b, respectively, said larms having longitudinal slots 10 and 11, engaged by bolts l2 and 13 fixed in cleats 14 on the outer face of the door 3. When the bar 5 is turned into line with the plates 8 and 9 the outer ends of such arms project beyond the inner edges of the frames 2, and engage plates 16 'secured to such frames. When in this position the 'door3 is held tightly in place, with its sides bearing against the inner faces of the frames 2. The plates 16 are preferably projected inwardly on the inner edges of the parts 2, and projected slightly -beyond the inner edge thereof, and the edges of the door 3 provided with strips 17 which extend eutvvardly slightly beyond the face of the door and bear upon the frames'2. This locks the door from side movement, and also provides a joint at each side of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 25, 1912.

Serial No. 686,639.

door which, by the use of proper packing material, prevents leakage from within the silo.

The outer ends of the arms 8 and 9 are at all times held away from the door, in

Patented Nov. 1 8, 1913.

operative position, by means of springs 18 interposed between the cleats 14 and such arms, on the pins 12 and 13, and the ends of said arms are curved in an outward direction, so as to more tightly engage the frames 2 when forced into locking position. This also prevents the ends of the arms from contacting with the inner faces of the frames and interfering with the propeiaction thereof. By means of the springs 18 and nuts 15 on the bolts 12 and 13 the position of the arms 8 andjt) can be adjusted with reference to the door, so as tocause such arms to embrace the frame of the opening more tightly or loosely, as desired.

The outer end of the extension 7 is provided with a sleeve 19, in which is pivoted a staple lock 20, the legs of which can be turned downwardly when the parts 5 and 7 are in alinement, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, such parts being thusglocked from movement, and all of the :partis 5, 8 and 9-being thereby held in line/. By releasing the catch 20 and turning theloar 5 into diagonal position, as shown infFig. 3 the arms 8 and 9 are drawn inwardly, out of engagement with the frames,2, and the door 3 can be removed. The'bar 5 is also capable of adjustment with reference to the door 3, vso as to allow for any/ possible warping or bulging of such door.'

The silo is encircled at intervals by hoops 21, the eli/ds of .which pass through the frames 2 and plates 16 and are threaded and provided with nuts22. Interposed between the nuts 22 and plates 16 are the end plates of braces 23, which are provided at intervals corresponding with the joints between the doors 3. The tendency of the hoops 21 is outwardly with reference to the openingin which they end, such tendency being overcome by means of the braces 23. each of such braces, with the hoop tofwhich it is attached, forming one encircling member or brace for the silo. The braces 23 not only aid in preservim- A the parallelism of the frames 2, but by proje :ting such braces outwardly the space between the frames is left clear, permitting an easy manipulation of the doors and locking mechanism therefor.

The braces 23 also serve as steps at regular intervals, and are alternated by the bars 5, the outwardly projected ends of which are in substantial alinenient with such braces, and furnish additional supporting means for a. person climbing` up or down the silo. The ends of the bar 5 also serve as handles for the operatie-11 of such har.

`What I claim as my invention and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

In a silo having a vertical opening in one side thereof and a. plurality of door sections adapted to close the same, a door-locking means for each of said sections comprising a bar pivotally supported centrally of the door and having outwardly projecting ends serving as handles therefor; arms pivotally attached to said bar, and adapted to be forced outwardly upon the action thereof, so as to engage the sides of said opening a staple-catch pivoted to the outer end of one of said handles, and adapted to engage one of said arms, to lock said bar and arms in operative position; means for holding said bar in adjustable position with reference to the door; and means for holding said arms outwardly in operative position;

n testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FORD B. POTTER. Witnesses:

W. U. HAsnE-LL, CHAS- H. lVoonURN.

Eopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

